It is hypothesized that there is a relationship between membership in cults or social groupings and drug use. In particular, there is an interlock such that illegal or unpopular drug use unites a subcultural group and results in increased opposition from the large social order. Review of literature on the American drug scene reveals general acceptance of this idea. Seemingly this would result in heavy drug use among subcultural group members and little use among the majority population in the larger social order. Yet a bimodal distribution of drug use does not appear when frequency of drug use is plotted for large populations. A log normal distribution which is found indicates that a few people use a lot of drugs, some people use some drugs, and many use few drugs. This contradiction will be studied through quantitative and qualitative investigation into a less complex, non-Western cult that has as its focal point the use of kava. Kava is a mild excitant drug used throughout the Pacific area, and is sometimes linked to nativistic movements. Of particular interest in this study is the John Frum Cargo cult on Tanna, New Hebrides. A representative village will be selected for an ethnographic study. Intensive work on sociometric and other rankings, kava use, and cult membership will provide a quantitative and qualitative approach to the research question. Additional investigation will be done concerning life histories of cult members, social effects of kava use, and linguistic relationship between cult membership and kava use. In addition to a 15 month participant-observation study of the cult, a psychiatrist will interview and assist in testing selected leaders of the cult, and an anthropological field worker will obtain information on the dominant society in the New Hebrides and its relationship to the cult.